Thursday, March 18, 2010

A Cannon Creek Greenway 2nd Annual Community Cleanup will be held to
further remove unwanted trash and debris from the Cannon Creek Greenway,
which is a 1.4 mile area that includes the heavily-wooded ravine
located adjacent to a section of the north-south Richmond-Henrico
Turnpike between Valley Road on the south and Craigie Avenue on the
north in Northside Richmond. A Media Walk-Through with key individuals
is also scheduled.

Councilmembers Robertson and Hilbert: Cannon Creek Greenway 2nd Annual Community Cleanup to be held

Special Media Walk-Through and Q&A with Key Individuals also scheduled: Entire Richmond community invited and encouraged to volunteerWHAT A Cannon Creek Greenway 2nd Annual Community Cleanup will be held to further remove unwanted trash and debris from the Cannon Creek Greenway, which is a 1.4 mile area that includes the heavily-wooded ravine located adjacent to a section of the north-south Richmond-Henrico Turnpike between Valley Road on the south and Craigie Avenue on the north in Northside Richmond. A Media Walk-Through with key individuals is also scheduled.

This cleanup is expected to complete the removal of the trash in preparation for beginning the construction of the Greenway’s featured bike/pedestrian trail and family-oriented park facilities. It is envisioned that this project will help in increasing the social, economic, and physical revitalization of Northside Richmond.

Last year, more than 200 volunteers removed 20 tons of trash, which included 400 tires from the area that has been used at times as an illegal dump site.

All individuals, community groups, businesses, families, friends, neighbors, and organizations are invited to participate. Volunteers are reminded to please wear layered clothing, sturdy shoes and work gloves. Trash bags and refreshments will be provided free.WHEN Saturday, March 20, 2010: 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Meet-up in morning is at 8:30 a.m.MEDIA WALK THROUGH AND Q/A with Key Individuals: 10:00 A.M.

WHERE Volunteers are to meet at the Virginia Army National Guard Armory 500 Dove Street (Intersection of Dove Street/Richmond-Henrico Turnpike)

CONTACT For more information and for signups, please call 804.358.0256.

BACKGROUND In addition to the park and recreational features that the Greenway’s bike/ped trail and family-oriented park facilities will afford to the existing neighborhoods adjacent to it, the Greenway will serve as a scenic park and recreational area for the 400 unit, mixed income housing revitalization initiative of the Richmond Rehabilitative Housing Authority (RRHA) that will be built nearby. Construction of the RRHA housing revitalization initiative will begin in the near future.

The Cannon Creek Greenway Project may also be linked to the United States of America East Coast Greenway, which is being built in sections from Main to Florida, and to the Virginia Capital Trail, which would link Richmond to Williamsburg and Jamestown.

The sidewalk and street intersections of the Greenway’s bicycle and pedestrian trial will connect the Northside’s business and commercial corridor along E. Brookland Park Boulevard residential neighborhoods, churches, schools, and community centers for ease of access by bicycling or walking. It will also provide an alternative transportation route for bicycle commuting from the residential neighborhoods of Highland Park and Barton Height to the City’s downtown. In addition to its use for family-oriented, recreational activities, the Greenway will also serve as an outdoor environmental laboratory for the science classes of nearby schools.

On December 1, 2009, the City of Richmond submitted an “Innovative Readiness Training Request for Military Assistance” through the Virginia Governor’s Office and the Virginia Adjutant General to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs. As a training function of the Guard Unit, the construction of the Cannon Creek Greenway’s bike/pedestrian trail and park features by the 276th Battalion of the Virginia Army National Guard was requested. It is expected that the results of this request for assistance will be received by the City in the near future.

The features of the Greenway have been planned over the past three years in a series of community meetings and workshops that have included neighborhood civic associations, elected Councilmembers, residents of the Highland Park and Barton Heights communities, Richmond Department of Parks and Recreation, Richmond Department of Community Development, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), and several environmental and recreation organizations. A culminating stakeholders’ Planning “Charrette” to reach consensus on the features of the Cannon Creek Greenway was conducted in October, 2009, by faculty and students of the Virginia Tech Landscape Architectural Program. The City has completed an environmental study of the Greenway site and is currently conducting an engineering study of the Greenway area and a study of the proposed alternative routes of the Greenway’s bike and pedestrian trail are being completed by a City of Richmond engineering consultant contractors.